Strategic Planning - the Vision Statement vs. the Mission Statement

426 Words2 Pages
Strategic Planning – Vision and Mission Statements Jollie Ann J. Baranggan Is a vision and mission statements really important? The mission and vision statements are critical to the strategic planning process since they provide clear, guiding principles that further define what the organization all about and why it exists is. Mission and vision statements create the foundation for action planning and a basis for the organization. The mission is the what, while a vision is the why. If you lead or have led any kind of an organization you no doubt had a clear idea of where you wanted your organization to go - your vision. Perhaps you saw yourself as the leader in your field or recognized for outstanding customer service. Whatever your vision, it was yours and yours alone. But did you mistake your vision for the mission? The vision can be lofty and challenging, a concept that is bold and far reaching. It is leaders with great visions who motivate others to succeed and accomplish great things. To create a vision statement, consider what you would ideally like to accomplish. Don't worry about what stands in the way, what do you really want to do? In 1968, Martin Luther King stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. and delivered what has become one of the most famous speeches in American history. His "I have a dream..." speech clearly illustrated his vision. King saw what needed to be done. He knew what the mission was, but so did many others. He was a major leader in the civil rights movement because he had a vision of what should be...he had a dream and he was able to articulate that dream to the masses. His vision touched a chord and led to real change. A mission statement on the other hand must be more concrete and define specifically what the organization does. It must be short and succinct. When
Open Document